Visa on Indian passport – Vietnam, Kenya, and UK

I have travelled with an Indian passport for over 25 years and now carry my Canadian Permanent Resident card as a supplementary document where required. The Indian passport ranks 66th in the Global Passport Power Rank, which means I have to get visas for most countries I plan to visit, often in advance. Currently, the Indian passport offers access to only 24 countries visa-free, 47 visa-on-arrival, and a whopping 127 that need a visa in advance. Unsurprisingly, India provides a ‘jumbo passport’ with 60 pages for frequent travellers – a service I have cherished immensely. As someone travelling regularly since 1997, I have a stash of Visa on Indian passports, each with a unique story and experience. I wanted to highlight 3 of my favourites;

Visas on Indian Passport – Vietnam (1997)

First Visa on my first passport, Vietnam will always be a special country for me. Unfortunately, I misplaced my first passport, which held the original Visa. The Visa below is from 2011, one of many I have had since my first trip to the country in 1997.

Vietnam tourist visa – 2011

My first trip to Vietnam was to meet family, and I was flying BOM-BKK-SGN on Thai Airways. I had my Vietnamese Visa pre-approved in Mumbai, India. As a 15-year-old unaccompanied flyer, I had a fantastic time with the doting Thai Airways flight attendants and the excitement of flying on my first international flight. During transit in BKK, I encountered issues with the Thai immigration officers who kept asking me about ‘không’ who was “travelling with me.” Every time I told them I was travelling alone and did not know who ‘không‘ was, their faces got grimmer. Good thing I had the contact information for my family who was receiving me in SGN. I sat in the immigration office in BKK for ~3 hours while the officers made several calls (to my family in Mumbai, Vietnam, and the Vietnamese Consulate in Mumbai) to confirm my visa details. The ‘accompanying traveller’ field on my visa said ‘không‘ against it. It was short for ‘not applicable‘ in Vietnamese (eventually confirmed by the Mumbai Consulate), and the Thai immigration officers assumed it was somebody’s name. And my Vietnamese was as good as theirs. I can only imagine the conversations between Thai officers who don’t speak the best English, with my parents who don’t speak Thai or Vietnamese (to decipher ‘không‘) and wondering why their 15-year-old was being held in BKK. Glad that it was a weekday, the Mumbai Consulate answered their landline.

A great experience nonetheless and one the entire family loves recounting every time we are together 🙂 While Indian passport holders still require a pre-approved visa to enter Vietnam, Canadian and US passport holders (and many others) can apply for an e-visa before travel.

Visa on Indian Passport – United Kingdom (2004)

The UK offers several flavours of Visa (tourist/work/immigrant, etc.), including one which is not a sticker but simply a stamp for transit passengers.

UK ‘Visitor in transit visa’ – 2004

A UK tourist visa for an Indian passport holder can cost upwards of $300, a severe financial barrier for many. I had never been to the UK until 2004. Still a student and on a tight budget, I had no intention of spending $300 for a visa I may or may not be granted. While browsing the UK Govt. site, I learned about the ‘Visitor in Transit’ Visa, which could be given to some nationalities at the discretion of an immigration officer. Although India was not one of the approved nationalities for a ‘Visitor in Transit’ Visa, those with a US/Canada visa or permanent resident cards could qualify. I took a chance and booked an incredibly long layover in LHR during my YOW-LHR-BOM trip.

You might need a Visitor in Transit visa if you’re:

• changing flights in the UK on your way to another country
• going through UK border control, for example to check in your luggage for a connecting flight
• leaving the UK within 48 hours
• not working or studying while in the UK

You may not have to apply for a visa. What you need to do depends on your nationality and whether you need to enter the UK.

Upon arrival at LHR, I made my way to immigration and presented proof on my onward journey, along with my Indian passport (with a Canadian Resident Visa). After several questions about my onward journey and checked bags, I heard the sweet sound of the stamp on my passport, followed by “Have a good time in London. It’s a great day to be out.”  From there on, the sticker shock of the Heathrow Express ticket, the expensive pints (CAD to GBP conversion) and fish&chips with mushy peas were all worth it. I beelined my way to the Lord’s Cricket Stadium for a tour and had the time of my life experiencing what I had only seen on tv. I get goosebumps just writing about it.

Since 2004, I have availed the ‘Visitor in Transit visa’ no fewer than ten times – a great way to spend a layover. And, of course, I eventually got UK Visas for several work trips in the following years.

UK Business Visa – 2014

Visa on Indian Passport – Kenya (2010)

Who doesn’t love a visa with national animals on it? But when you get one with the ‘Big Five,’ it’s one to treasure!

Kenya Multiple Visa – 2010

My first trip to Kenya was in 2010, and I had locked in my Visa in advance in Ottawa. I loved the casual handwriting on a printed visa sticker, with only the initials of my name. But the real treat was the animals, of course, because I was on my way to a Safari, and this Visa was the perfect tease for what was to come. That trip to Kenya and my first ever Safari experience was one such that has not been matched since. It’s unique enough to see multiple lion hunts in the wild, but to also see Nile crocodiles take down a zebra at a river crossing and fend off a bloat of hippos that tried to steal their kill – was a privilege like none other—a very, very special trip.

If you plan to visit East Africa, a joint tourist visa is available for travelling to and within Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda for tourism.

Take Away

I love my Indian passports, for they have unlocked such great memories around the globe. All while allowing me some of the most fabulous visa stickers and stamps I would not have collected otherwise had I travelled on “stronger passports” that don’t need visas and only get an arrival and exit stamp. Yes, I know, all fantastic things come at a cost.

Look out for future iterations of ‘Visa on Indian Passport’ as I highlight some of the coolest ones I have collected over the years.

Do you have a favourite visa on your passport? Share with a comment below!